One of the most controversial products to have been recently developed is an electronic cigarette, which is known as an E-cig. Most E-cigs have a similar appearance to a conventional tobacco cigarette. The difference is that an E-cig is an electronic device which allows a person to inhale a quantity of substance and exhale a composition of water vapor. The substance that is typically inhaled from an E-cig is nicotine thereby allowing a person to receive the nicotine to which they are addicted without any of the negative aspects of smoking tobacco which includes numerous harmful additives.
E-cigs are available in two embodiments: the first is a non-refillable, often single-use E-cig. The second is an E-cig that can be re-filled with nicotine fluid, thereby allowing a person to purchase an E-cig and simply re-fill it when it becomes depleted. As time has progressed, E-cig manufacturers have discovered that there are individuals who do not want to inhale, nicotine. For these individuals E-cig fluids containing various flavoring and/or healthy ingredients such as vitamins have become available.
Recently there has been serious debate about the health concerns associated with inhaling nicotine by E-cig users, and the “second-hand-smoke” that is experienced by non-users who are in the vicinity of a person using an E-cig. There has not been any definitive proof of the danger of nicotine based c-cigs, but it is widely believed the U.S. Government will soon implement laws that dictate who can use an E-cig and where an E-cig cannot be used. There has been conflicted proof of the danger of nicotine based E-cigs, but local governments have begun to implement laws that dictate who can use an E-cig and where an E-cig cannot be used, thereby casting a blanket over E-cigs with nicotine and without.
Unfortunately, it is expected that these laws will also apply to non-nicotine E-cigs which do not present any danger to a user or a person in the vicinity of a user. This is because it is currently impossible to determine if an E-cig is using nicotine fluid or non-nicotine fluid.
What is needed is a method to ensure which fluid nicotine or non-nicotine—is used with a particular E-cig. And, to provide a definitive way of visually identifying/differentiating a nicotine E-cig from a non-nicotine E-cig.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED8,757,169B2Gysland24 Jun. 20149,155,337B2Duncan, et al13 Oct. 20152015/0136156Liu21 May 2015
The U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,169B2 discloses an electronic cigarette including an atomizer, a cartridge, a mouthpiece, a power switch, and an electronic cigarette refilling apparatus. A method of dispensing a liquid into an electronic cigarette and a method of inhaling a vapor from an electronic cigarette are also disclosed.
The U.S. Pat. No. 9,155,337B2 discloses an electronic cigarette having a housing, an atomizer disposed in the housing, and a control circuit disposed in the housing and configured to control operation of the atomizer based on time data regarding a current time.
The 2015/0136156 publication disclosed an electronic cigarette and an electronic cigarette device. The electronic cigarette comprises a power supply, a liquid storage member storing liquid smoke, an atomizing unit and a controller connected with the power supply and the atomizing unit for controlling the atomizing unit to start or stop heating. The atomizing unit comprises an oil accumulating member and an electric heating piece attached to the oil accumulating member. The electronic cigarette is configured with an electric heating piece in the atomizing unit instead of traditional heating wire.